This was done in a bid to have a smooth exercise when budgeting for various activities identified in the strategies that the task forces have developed to respond to Water Resources Management and WASH challenges. The training took place at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe from 14-15 September 2023.
The response strategies identify solutions to Malawi's biggest barriers to Water Resources Management and WASH, namely, lack of coordination in the sector, lack of financing and investment, and lack of political will and leadership.
The GWL finance consultant, Mr. Bernet Phiri, trained the Task Force members in understanding the approach to the development of finance plans, budgeting and methods of budgeting, tools for budgeting, and costing and finance options.
The consultant will now support each of the three task forces in costing the various activities in their response strategies.
During the training, Mr. Alick Kaumba, the Director of Planning in the Ministry of Water & Sanitation, commended the Task Force members for their dedication demonstrated throughout the period that they had been developing the response strategies and during the training.
“We appreciate task force members’ commitment to this exercise and for attending this training. The knowledge that the members have gained during the training will be very helpful as they cost the various activities outlined in the response strategies. I am hopeful that we will end up with thorough strategies that outline feasible solutions to the identified barriers,” said Mr. Kaumba.
Earlier from 23 - 25 August, Chairs & and secretaries of the three task forces on Advocacy, Climate Resilience Financing and Investment, and Coordination met at Kalipano Hotel in Dowa District to finalize the Response Strategies before the teams could cost the activities.
“Now that the task force members have been trained on developing finance plans for their response strategies, we will dedicate time for the finance consultant to work with each task force individually to analyse activities and the budgets for implementing those activities. We are hoping to have final drafts of the response strategies, with accompanying budgets, in October, submit them to the Sector Working Group for approval, and then launch at the end of the year,” explained Mrs. Deborah Muheka, GWP’s GWL Malawi Coordinator.
The Global Water Leadership Programme is a global initiative to support emerging leadership for improved water, sanitation and hygiene services, and climate resilience. The aim of the GWLP is to get poor and vulnerable people in low and middle Income Countries to use resilient, safely managed WASH services resulting in their improved resilience, health, and well-being.
It is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and implemented in various countries by the Global Water Partnership & UNICEF.